So when Christie says — on FOX News — that President Barack Obama has done “a great job” for New Jersey in the midst of Hurricane-turned-post-tropical cyclone Sandy, the White House is getting some serious political notice. Even FEMA gets a tip of the hat.

The governor was asked, in an appearance on FOX today, how the president declaring New Jersey a disaster area had helped.

“Helps us tremendously,” Christie said. “I spoke to the president three times yesterday. He called me for the last time at midnight last night, asking what he could do. I said, `If you could expedite designating New Jersey as a major disaster area, that, that would help us to get federal money and resources in here as quickly as possible to help clean up the damage here.”’

“The president was great last night,” Christie said. “He said he would get it done. At 2:00 a.m. I got a call from FEMA to answer a couple of final questions, and then he signed the declaration this morning.”

“So I have to give the president great credit. He’s been on the phone with me three times in the last 24 hours. He’s been very attentive, and anything I’ve asked for, he’s gotten to me. So I thank the president publicly for that. He’s done, as far as I’m concerned, a great job for New Jersey.”

To rub it in, Christie was asked about any possibility that Romney might join him in a tour of damage in New Jersey.

“I have no idea,” the governor said, “nor am I the least bit concerned or interested.”

“I’ve got a job to do here in New Jersey,” Christie explained, “much bigger than presidential politics, and I could care less about any of that stuff. I have a job to do. I’ve got 2.4 million people out of power. Ive got devastation on the shore. I’ve got floods in the northern part of my state.”

“If you thin right now I gave a damn about presidential politics,” he said, “then you don’t know me.”